LOCATION:Within the KL Sentral extensive transportation center. Access is very easy, either with KTM Komuter, Putra LRT, KTM Intercity trains as well as the KLIA Express (ERL).

DESCRIPTION:Finally, the world's most glamourous hotel chain makes its comeback into the ever-changing landscape of international-class hotels in Kuala Lumpur. The Hilton chain did operate the then KL Hilton on the premise now known as the Crowne Plaza Mutiara before it ceased its operation a little while back.

This new hotel is set in a glitzy 35-storey state-of-the-art commercial block in KL Sentral, the main transportation hub of the city. Adjoining the tower is the Le Meridien Hotel, a new kid-on-the-block in KL's hotel scenes. The hotel features a jaw-dropping 510 guest rooms and 1-bedroom suites, 6 restaurants, 3 bars and 1 wine cellar. Pretty impressive statistic. Indeed, the Hilton really returns with a big bang and made a bold statement of its intention to recreate a chic hotel experience.

Let me start with the room. I loved it, a lot actually. My Deluxe Innovation room is stylishly done with minimalist Zen-concept plus some touches of modern elegance. Retro-inspired fusion colour combination of pinewood, black, white and dark maroon throughout the room is chic and fabulous. And get this: the hotel is the only establishment in Malaysia equipped which rooms are equipped with plasma TV (yes, not flat screen TV, but 42" razor-thin plasma ones!). I guess that is a big deal because every other person would ask about the plasma TV when I told them I was staying here. The bathroom features heavenly rain shower (caution: once you are in, there is no way out, it is that heavenly). The room also comes with a glassy study desk equipped with ergonomic chair with complimentary broadband port conveniently located nearby, expensive coffee-maker, and a sofa set against the large floor-to-ceiling glass window with a side view of downtown Kuala Lumpur. Overall, the room at Hilton Hotel gets my biggest thumbs up!

Nonetheless, the lobby left a lot to be desired, in general. There is such thing as trying to put too many things at one place. The check-in counter is somewhat misplaced, facing a number of restaurants and bars, making the overall first impression when checking into the hotel was not that of a pleasant one. I would prefer a more secluded counter where the hotel patrons get to check-in in cognito without having to go through the crowded area at the lobby. Also, to be honest, I could not recall any special features of the lobby that worth mentioning, except a smorgasbord of of fully dressed-up businessmen and fellow socialites thronging the hotel's fancy F&B outlets especially during lunch and dinner time.

As mentioned previously, the number of F&B outlets in the hotel is astounding. I will try to make it short. As for the restaurants, there are the Sudu (which means "spoon" in Malay, serving authentic local food from around Malaysia), the Senses (more of a fusion East-meet-West restaurant), the Chynna (a clever side-step of the word "China", a Cantonese restaurant), the Noodle Room (serves various noodles from around Asia), Iketeru (great Japanese food experience complemented by extensive water features with options to dine al fresco by the pool), and Boardwalk Poolside Restaurant. Then, there are the Zeta Bar (a concept brought from the bar of the same name in London, supposedly very hip), Caffè Cino (with its own coffee barista and equipped with the super-expensive La Cimbali coffee machine imported from motherland Italy) and Cosmo Lobby Lounge (right at the lobby with large glass window with views of Jalan Duta and KL Lake Garden). There is a wine bar called the Vintage Bank with selections done Dr Ron Georgiou (I don't know, maybe he is a doctor of wine-tasting?).

The swimming pool is nice, but it is not exactly what I had in mind. The pool area features a so-called boardwalk enclosure, at which you will find thundering man-made waterfalls at certain parts of the walk. The brochure claims that the pool's length is 120 metres, but only because, surprisingly, the pool is shared with the neighbouring Le Meridien Hotel. Overall, the pool is acceptable, but to me, it is far from being a true urban oasis as I originally anticipated.

As of pricing, I got my stay in the deluxe Innovation Roomfor RM255++ per night.

REVIEWED ON:September 2006

MY VERDICT:Glitzy. Glamourous. Chic. One of the best rooms I have seen, ever. Disappointing lobby design.